In the middle of a storm, thanks for a laugh Qantas!

We're still in the middle of a 1-in-50 year storm, but I received this uplifting communication from Qantas CEO [ok, his marketing team...]. It gave me a good laugh!

When you read this, please keep in mind that:

• I last flew with Qantas around 3-4 years ago and goodness know when before that
• I'm a New Zealander and I'll always call New Zealand home

On the other hand, if Qantas wants to show off their product just give me a call - I'm sure we can organise something :-)

Ok, so this post is a bit tongue-in-cheek, so have a laugh, but don't take it all too seriously... anyone have Alan's email address? I might send him a thank you :-) ha ha

Nasty, nasty, nasty

It would seem yesterday's miserable cold weather with evening snow was not the worst of it.

It appears that Wellington airport is effectively closed with Air NZ and Qantas showing all flights to/ from Wellington are cancelled for this evening. Jetstar shows it is operating [albeit with massive delays], although I suspect that is more to do with their crappy customer service not updating their website.

No pictures from the airport, but here's a couple of others which help to show what it's like. There is ice everywhere, it's bitterly cold and altogether rather miserable. What you can't see of course, is the wind... the house is shaking, or the thunder and lightening :-)

More details on my other blog : 1-in-50 Year Storm

Still cold, still raining, snow soon to start and some of the civilian aircraft

Following on from my previous post, here are a few of the civilian aircraft that came and went. The first is a Piper PA34-220T, ZK-ZAG, registered to Golden Bay Air Ltd in Takaka. The next aircraft is an Air NZ Airbus A320-232, ZK-OJE.

Lastly are two photos of a Qantas/ Jetconnect Boeing 737-838, ZK-ZQD slowing up after landing.

Cold, rain, snow and the military visitors

The forecasts for today and the next 2-3 days are looking very good, in a weird kinda way. We are forecast to have snow, almost to sea level, for the first time in possibly several decades. It should be an exciting time for the next few days! Already, I've experienced a little snow at home this evening, and I'm hoping that it will start to settle on the ground on the next few days.

Apologies if you don't see the good side of this - especially if you've had heavy snowfalls that are creating problems, but it's a bit novel for Wellington.

Needless to say, there was no flying happening at the Club today, although the conditions did mean that I got a number of interesting photos. Some of them are "technically" not very good, but I hope you'll agree that they are still worth showing.

This post has a couple of Lockheed C130H's that came to visit. The first is a Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF] C130H, registration A97-007, which did a touch-and-go then left for somewhere else. The second is an Royal New Zealand Air Force [RNZAF] C130H, NZ7002, which stopped at the RNZAF Air Movements apron. Enjoy!

A flight and some interesting aircraft

Today was looking doubtful for a flight, with low cloud at home and around the airport. It mostly cleared up by the afternoon, and I ended up doing a dual flight up to Paraparaumu airport [NZPP], about a 30 minute flight to the north, in a Cessna 172, ZK-FLT. This was my first flight in a Cessna for over 2 months, so it was good to get back in control.

There was a big surprise waiting at Paraparaumu, with a Air Nelson Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NEA parked up. Air Nelson [part of the Air New Zealand group] will start flying between Paraparaumu and Auckland in the near future. Today looked like another famil exercise for the local staff and some VIPs who go a look inside the aircraft.

Other aircraft are a Jodel D.11, ZK-ECU and Cessna 172, ZK-FLT, both at Paraparaumu. Lastly is a photo of Cessna A185F, ZK-PRM at Wellington.

Good news! The Cessna is back and I got to go flying... in a Piper

Finally, some good news on the aviation front!

The first bit of good news is that the Club's Cessna 172, ZK-FLT is back on long after a lengthy lay-off for maintenance, including getting a paint job, replacement engine and an interior refit. It's looking very flash now, although I understand that the plain exterior might be simply awaiting some good ideas. I'll keep you posted.

The other good news is that, despite the poor weather [mainly the bit about the wind being 18 knots gusting to 30 knots and forecast to increase later today], I finally got to go flying today! Not in the C172, but in a Club Piper PA38-112, ZK-ESG. I haven't flown at all in the last 9-10 weeks [!!], and I haven't flown a PA38 since late December 2010, so I went up for a few dual circuits which was a good refresher. Hopefully I'll get a dual ride in the C172 next weekend. I'm due for a BFR at the end of this month, but I think that will wait until I get back from a brief holiday.... more on that later.

Anyway, here's a couple of exterior shots of the repainted C172.

A cracker of a day!

It has been a fantastic day in Wellington today! Bright blue skies and little wind.

I spent a few hours out at the Club this afternoon watching to comings and goings. It was good to see an almost empty hanger with all of the Club's aircraft out earning their keep. Lots of flying makes for happy planes and much happier people :-) I'm hoping that the Cessna 172 will be back next weekend... I've booked myself in for a dual flight to get back into it (Kia ora Mrs Rudman!).

Photos today are of several of the fleet coming in or getting ready to leave. First up are 3 of the Piper PA38-112 Tomahawks, ZK-JFE, ZK-WAC and ZK-ESG. This is followed by Piper PA28R-201 Arrow, ZK-EIF and finally the Nanchang CJ6, ZK-MAO.

BTW - did you know, that if you're in Wellington and want to see if flying is for you, you can call the Club and book in a trial flight. They are lots of fun, and make great birthday presents also! Call on 04 388 8444, or take a look at our website - click here. Aero clubs around the country offer similar experiences so look them up and give them a call (more info)!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!

No, that heading is not a typo :-(

Having not flown for almost 2 months, due to weather and aircraft unavailability, I was really looking forward to taking a flight tomorrow... but... the aircraft is still away... hopefully next weekend, otherwise I'm going to have to seriously look at getting back into a Piper PA38-112 Tomahawk, or maybe getting a rating on a Beech C23 Sundowner.

My BFR [Biennial Flight Review] is due later this month, but I'm tossing up whether to do it before I go on holiday, or afterwards... I guess as much as anything, it will depend on the availability of the aircraft... Oh well. Today's picture is a Beech/ Raytheon B1900D, ZK-EAC registered to Eagle Airways Ltd landing on runway 16 at Wellington. Enjoy!

The weather this weekend...

... is not much good for anything, so my flight tomorrow has already been cancelled. While it is windy, rainy and cloudy today, it is supposed to get much colder on Monday - to the extent that we may have snow to low levels around Wellington.

Anyway, back to today's weather, the following pictures show very clearly why there was not much flying today... Mount Cook Airline ATR72-212A, ZK-MCX and an Air Nelson Bombardier DHC-8-311, ZK-NFB.

A new aircraft online, a visitor and a couple of regulars

I had a quick visit to the aero club today, just enough time for 4 photographs.

The first is of a "new" aircraft to the club flightline, Beech C23 Sundowner, ZK-DVB. I am not sure if this will be a permanent or temporary arrangement, but I'm sure it will be popular for type ratings from curious club pilots.

A visitor was an Alpha R2160, ZK-VCA, from Canterbury Aero Club in Christchurch.

The "regulars" referred to in the post title were a couple of Air New Zealand branded aircraft. A Beech/ Raytheon B1900D, ZK-EAO, registered to Eagle Airways Ltd, and Boeing B737-3U3, ZK-SJC, registered to Air New Zealand Ltd.

No flying tomorrow...

As mentioned in my previous post, I had hoped to go flying tomorrow in the Club's newly refurbished Cessna 172, ZK-FLT. Unfortunately it is still getting the last couple of bits finished before it's back on line, so another week goes by... I don't have my logbook with me as I write this, but it has been a few weeks since I last flew.

My BFR is due next month, although I'm wondering if perhaps I wait until I get back from a big trip that is coming up shortly. We will see. In any case, although aviation is not the purpose of the trip, I hope to get a few photos up anyway. I'll keep you posted :-)

Lastly, yes, I am booked in for a flight next Sunday - Hopefully the plane is back AND we manage to get some good weather :-)

What is it with the weather?

What is it with the weather? Often good during the week, but bad on the weekends. Today it was often westerly [up to 20 or so knots crosswind on the surface at times], and quiet breezy at 2000', so very little flying for the club.

Here are a couple of Air Nelson DHC-8-300's [ZK-NFA and ZK-NEB] followed by a Giles G200, ZK-LGT doing some circuits.

In slightly more hopeful news, I am hoping to get out and about next Sunday afternoon when the Club gets its C172 back. Here's hoping the weather holds up!

[Update: Just heard the weather forecast for tomorrow - could be gusting up to 140 kph, 87 mph, 76 knots tomorrow - Monday...!!! still, here's hoping we get a nice weekend for once!]

Avskills - One day airstrip flying course auction on Trademe!

OK, this is probably best for all the kiwi visitors to this website... but check this out! Avskills are auctioning off a 1 day airstrip flying course on Trademe!

I did a quick intro to this a couple of years back and I'm still grinning... and this one is definitely on my "watch list"... so yeah, I'd recommend it! Take a look at the auction for the full details.

Auction closes on 18 July 2011.

Air Pacific in Wellington???!

A huge surprise today was to see an Air Pacific flight departing Wellington. I'm not going to say this is the first time they have operated into here, but it's certainly the first time I have seen them at Wellington [it looks as though Air Pacific may have operated into Wellington around 10 years ago? Can anyone confirm any details?]. Curiously, the flight information indicated it was only heading to Christchurch and not back to Fiji. If anyone has more information, I would appreciate it - perhaps it was filling in for another operator?

Anyway, the aircraft is a Boeing 737-7X2, DQ-FJF and is seen here leaving runway 34 earlier today.

Flying and not flying

It looked like a good day to go flying today - a bit of cloud hanging around in places, but gentle winds. The club got a fair amount of flying in which is great after several weeks of "on again, off again" weather.

Unfortunately, I was earth-bound for a couple of reasons. Firstly, there was no Cessna 172 available this weekend - the previous C172 left last week and the next one is due this coming week - I'm booked for next weekend though, so here's hoping for good weather!

The second reason is that the RNZAC/ FlyingNZ annual meeting was held at the Wellington Aero Club. It was great to see and hear about some of the things happening around the place, and to catch up with a few people.

One day I really must get a photo of the people I manage to get crammed into my car. It really was funny to see Kevin, Daryl, Tony, Liz and I squashed into the car, front seats all the way forwards, knees up around our ears [well, almost!], then me getting out my hammer to give the engine a little "encouragement" to start! On the other hand, the next person who says there's more room in the back of a Seneca can walk to their plane!!!:-) Seriously though, good to see you guys again!